Two teenagers killed, several rescued as incessant rain wreak havoc in J&K

Jammu – Sgr NH shut, schools in Valley to remain closed today; LG directs officials to assist affected

Sumit Sharma/ Wajahat Shabir
Jammu/ Srinagar:Two teenagers lost their lives, while an elderly person went missing and several people were rescued from different parts of Union Territory as well as major roads including Jammu- Srinagar strategic national highway was blocked following shooting stones triggered by incessant rains since Sunday evening across Jammu and Kashmir.
The inclement weather has affected the normal life and rains also triggered floods in several parts of the region. Around a dozen structures including private and government have also been damaged.
The heavy rains also prompted the closure of educational intuitions including schools and postponed of exams.
The government has also launched rescue operations and started assessment of actual loss. Moreover, the Lieutenant Governor Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha chaired a crucial meeting to review the situation and directed officials to expedite relief measures.
According to the official reports, a 13-year-old boy identified as Firdous Ahmed of village Kund-Mallan in Dessa tehsil in Doda district slipped and got drowned in the flash floods in Kund Nullah area. The police said a search operation has been launched to trace out the body of the victim.
Similarly, a 13-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a shooting stone triggered by a massive landslide in the Karool area of Ramban on Monday afternoon. In the incident, several houses also suffered damage.
The Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Vishesh Paul Mahajan disclosed that a 65-year-old person went missing in a weather-related incident and he was yet to be traced out. “We have announced the closure of all schools across the district as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the students,” he said.
The closure of major roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar highway, Panthal-Mahar road in Kishtwar and Mughal Road, has severely disrupted transportation across the J&K.
Further, due to high inflow from Salal Dam, water levels in the upstream and downstream villages along Chenab river will rise and accordingly the NHPC has issued notice to general public.
As per NHPC notice Public of District Reasi in general and Public of village in go stream: Dharan, Thanpal, Amas, Sai, Lanjan, Narloo, Gad, Salmot and villages in down stream: Gujjar Kothi, Saidh Baba, Bidda, Kachhi Khera, Talwara, Nambla, Vijaypur, Bara Dad, Patta, Kanasi Patta, Jedhi, Panasa, Bhabber, Chumdian, Dera Baba Banda Bhadur, Seri etc. in particular that the gates of the Salal Dam shall be opened any time as discharge is in increasing trend due to heavy rain in Upstream/catchment area of Salal Dam on April 29 and 30. With the result, there will be further increase in flow of water and level of river Chenab shall increase or decrease at any point of time. As such, movement of men, vehicles and cattle/animals into the river is not advisable. Therefore, the general public of the area is informed through this notice that in order to avoid any mishap they should take proper care and should not go into Chenab River during this period. Anybody violating this notice/request shall be doing so at his own risk and responsibility and the management of Salal Power Station shall not be held responsible for consequence thereof”.
Meanwhile, the incessant rains led to water logging on several roads in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir. Later, in the day authorities in Srinagar devised a holistic evacuation plan amid an imminent flood threat posed by the ongoing incessant rains in different localities of the summer capital.
In Phase-I, the people of KursooPadshahi Bagh, Mehjoor Nagar, Charlipora, Gund Chandal, Naik Pora and Kursoo Ghat are to be evacuated to Sanatnagar Marriage Hall and inhabitants of Rambagh, Old Barzulla, Gung Bugh, Bulbul Bagh inhabitants are to be shifted to Marriage Hall Goripora.
In Phase-II, the Jawahar Nagar, Lal Mandi, Ikhrajpora inhabitants are to be shifted to ERA Complex Rambagh and residents of Gogji Bagh, Solina, Alochi Bagh and Magarmal Bagh to MET High School Rawatpora.
Under the Phase-II only, the inhabitants of Maisuma, Gow Kadal, Kukar Bazar, Sheikh Bagh, Abi Guzar and Samandar Bagh Barbarshah are to be evacuated to IMPA. In Baramulla, reports have emerged that several infrastructure have damaged as water entered in several areas of the area. As per the reports, two houses were damaged and collapsed with 7 people of a single family were trapped under debris after their house collapsed due to heavy rain.
Battalion of Chinar corps Indian Army along with locals rescued 7 persons trapped under debris after their house collapsed due to heavy rains in Bujhthala,TehsilBoniyar, Uri.Two persons injured in the incident are being shifted to the nearest medical facility for treatment., read the statement issued by Deputy Commissioner DC Baramulla.
Kupwara is the most hit area by inclement weather. As per the details 336 families in Kupwara were relocated to safer places, 5 villages are fully inundated at Handwara, several bridges and other infrastructure projects damaged.
As per the government official statement, “The water level has crossed the danger mark and floods stand notified by the concerned Executive Engineers Irrigation and Flood Control in their respective jurisdictions”. “As many as 336 families from the flood-affected areas of Kupwara district have been relocated to safer places on Monday by District Administration. 198 families have been evacuated from Handwara tehsil alone”, it reads.
51 villages of the district have been partly affected in the District and 5 villages of Handwara have been fully affected by the floods, he said.
Floods have damaged some major infrastructure assets which include Shumriyal Bridge, khumryal Bridge(side walls), Shatmuqam bridge, Sohipora- Hayhama bridge, Farkyan bridge, shumryal- Gundajhanger road, cut off due to scouring, 2 RDD buildings at Kupwara and AD Handicrafts office buildingm A breach in Doban Kachama dam, it said. Meanwhile all the border roads have been closed due to fresh snowfall and avalanche threat.
21 Shelter homes have been established across the District. The general Public has been advised to approach District Control Room headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner/Assistant Commissioner Revenue and Tehsil Level control Rooms, headed by the concerned Tehsildars, for any assistance, it added. As the day progress, the administration ordered closure of schools on Tuesday.
In view of the inclement weather condition and incessant rain, it is hereby ordered that the class work in all educational institutions up to higher secondary level of Kashmir division both government and private intuitions shall remain suspended on April 30th as a precautionary measure, read the order issued by the Office of Divisional Commissioner Kashmir.
In view of the prevailing weather conditions, Kashmir University on Monday also announced postponing of all examinations scheduled on April 30. “It is notified for the information of all concerned candidates that all the examinations of University of Kashmir, which are scheduled to be held on 30 April, 2024 stands postponed,” varsity said in a notification, reads the notification. “Fresh dates shall be issued soon.”
Meanwhile, the university said that it will be functional in all aspects except examinations scheduled for April 30 have been postponed. “We would like to clarify that the reports circulating in the media regarding the closure of the University of Kashmir on 30th April 2024 are inaccurate,” a spokesperson of the varsity said in a statement, adding, “The university will be functional in all aspects except examinations scheduled for this date have been postponed, and a revised schedule will be communicated in due course. We urge everyone to stay safe and follow the updates on our official channels for the latest information.”